Journalists write "knowingly" on the situation in Israel without ever living here; without first hand knowledge of what it means to live in this tiny country in the midst of a rather unfriendly neighbourhood.
I write without vengeance, without hatred, just what I experience,the view from my veranda and the thoughts in my head.
My archive is available at www.lingomatics.com/Shabbatshalom/index.html

About Me

I am a freelance journalist living in Jerusalem. I strive to tell the truth as it is never seen in the media - the life of one Israeli trying to get along with everyone but not willing to deny her past nor her identity.

Friday, 8 September 2017

170908 Irma, Mexico, Syria, Misuse of Power

170809

8th
September 2017

Shabbat
Shalom dear friends.

What a
week of worry! Hurricanes and monsoons, Texas, the Caribbean Islands, Florida,
India, Nepal, Pakistan; the horror of natural disasters reminds us that we
humans are powerless against the enormity of nature. The devastation left in
the path of hurricane Irma is unprecedented in its scope. Unlike man made
disasters natural disasters do not differentiate between rich and poor – St.
Barts and St. Marten were hit equally with poverty stricken Haiti, everything
in Irmas path is simply flattened. As I write the news comes in of a horrendous
earthquake off Mexico http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4864392/Massive-8-0-magnitude-earthquake-recorded-Mexico.html
We pray our family is alright.

Would you think I'm crazy if I ask the question
"Are all todays freaky natural disasters a chain reaction after Kim of
North Korea caused the initial earthquake and subsequent tsunami"? I know this is the
season but…….. never mind it just passed through my mind.

We,
little Israeli, are sending aid to all of the above, through iAid, IsraAid,
the IDF teams, ZAKA, MASHAV, no matter where, we have people on the ground helping
at a human level and we stay to help them rebuild. I once sent information
about the incredible aid work being done by Israeli organisations to a friend
in Canada, around the time we sent help to Alberta after the horrendous fires
which engulfed the state, to which he sent a letter of ridicule "Are you
serious – how can Israel help Canada?" Well, Israel that sent people to
help Texas and after Superstorm Sandy we were received with love and gratitude,
does that answer your question?

And
then there is Syria;
the Syrian government has accused Israel of aggression after a mission was sent
to destroy their chemical weapons research centre and stockpile. After half a
million people were killed and hundreds of thousands horribly wounded by
chemical weaponry they call Israel the aggressor? The mission was essential,
finally, and coincidentally came on the anniversary of the bombing of the
Syrian nuclear facility 10 years ago by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Orchard

Israel
is torn apart
by the level of corruption within the political sphere from the top down.
Indeed it appears that the political sphere controls our lives far more than we
could imagine. I know it happens
everywhere but this is my home and perhaps unrealistically I believe that we
should be more principled than anywhere else. The choice of leaders is rarely based
on ability but rather on misuse of power – choosing the person who can
facilitate power rather than the one who is suited for the position. When two
excellent candidates for a major position, each with many years of service to
the Jewish world (Colette Avital and Zvi Raviv), are overlooked in favour of
person who is unknown in the Jewish world, allowed to continue his private
business interests, does not live in Jerusalem near the office where he appears
for just a few hours a week, one should understand that something is terribly
wrong. I don't want to name names but one cannot deny simple facts. Those who
chose the current World Chairman of Keren Hayesod, Mudi Zandberg, did
not choose him because he was the best candidate but because they bent to the
choice of the Prime Minister (or his wife) and now Mudi Zandberg is embroiled
in the current investigations. Please understand, these leaders affect the
morale of those of good will who work within the organisations without a rudder
to guide the ship but do not reflect on the excellent projects executed by the
KH and the good name which was hard earned over nearly 100 years of caring for
the Jewish world.

Sadly
Zvi lost a good friend and a fine Jerusalemite, last week, Ilan Roman
z"l. We went to the Shiva house to honour his memory and visit his widow
Tsippi. Obviously we spoke of Ilan's full and interesting life but then someone
mentioned the mystery surrounding the stolen Yemenite children. In a country of
2, 3, maybe even 4 children per family the newly arrived Yemenite families
often had 10 or more children living in abject poverty as new immigrants. Many
babies died at birth but some, in an act of misplaced and ill advised
"kindness" were taken from the mothers who were told their babies had
died, and given to wealthy childless families, both in Israel and in the
"Goldener Medina" the USA. These children grew in loving families,
needing for nothing although many questioned their dark features in a family of
blonds. Over the last 10 years, children have been reunited with their birth
mothers but for many it is too late. Two ladies at the shiva house had family
members who were "placed". What fascinated me was that nobody, not
even the two ladies of Yemenite origin, felt it was done with any but good
motives, but the tragedy that ensued cannot be measured.

On
Wednesday evening, I set off for the German Colony, to Bethlehem Road,
searching for a building I didn't know existed! It was to be the site of a
celebratory evening in gratitude to the volunteers of the Yuri Shtern Holistic
Centre for Cancer patients and their families – a truly magnificent group of
people. The building was exactly where Menachem told me it was – directly opposite
Cremieux Street! As I drove through the impressive gates I was met with one of
the most magnificent buildings of white Jerusalem stone, towering and a total
surprise! The building of the first Jerusalem electricity station was opened
for the first time ever to the Yuri Shtern Foundation by the Electricity
company. I am not a healer, I am an admirer, a fan of these incredible,
altruistic folk who give of their precious time each week to bring succour to
both patients and families at Shaare Zedek Hospital and the Clinic. Under the
auspices of the excellent stand-up artists we played fascinating games, laughed
and then ate – under the watchful eye of Lena Shtern, widow of Yuri z"l .
Lena's dream came true in this giving organisation which changes lives ably
aided by Varda Hershkovitch and Ayala Goldman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbk511x4oYI&t=34s

Just
as I was thinking
– wow it's that time of year again, nearly Rosh Hashana and high time to think
about whether I, and all of us, have done enough to better this world. As
always, my dear friend Rabbi Jeremy Rosen was thinking exactly the same –
and since I knew I couldn't possibly be more erudite or clever than he I have given
you his thoughts directly! http://jeremyrosen.com/2017/09/the-time-of-the-year.html

I
survived last weeks Friday night dinner of 24 guests – survived and thrived!
Everyone was happy with the food; the children took doggie bags with them to
help feed the grandchildren during the week since Amiad, Noga, Leor and Shiri
all work long hours. The children were happy with the games we provided and
everyone helped get the salon back to its former glory!

School
is back
and I just got home from collecting the girls from school, Rachel's girls that
is! I loved their excitement at seeing me back at my normal Friday job!!! As we
drove over the peak of Samuel's Tomb they chattered on and on in that unintelligible
language of girls aged 11 and 8, it was irrelevant anyway – I just wanted to
hear their voices!!! Arriving at Rachel's on a Friday is a culinary and olfactory
treat! The aromas emanating from her kitchen draw one in and all diets are
forgotten as the plies one with cups of tea, home-made Danish Pastries and
fresh hot Challa……. To say nothing of tasting each of her delicious salads just
to check they are good!!! Then the drive back home – the panorama of Jerusalem,
the hills and winding road back to our apartment and then the joy……………… I don't
have to cook tonight!!! We are invited
to Mottie and Rivkas for Shabbat Dinner – Motti is an exceptional
historian of all things Jewish (he built the Herzl Museum) and Rivka is not
only a Balabusta ( a Yiddish expression for a good home-maker) but also a
Judge. I am in awe of so many Israeli women who work in high position but
successfully keep a happy family. Anyway, I love going to them, it reminds me
of my childhood!

So, in
honour of Motti and Rivka I think we should go with a Yiddishe Shabbat Song.
Actually, this song will bring back happy memories for my children, Daniel,
Gideon and Rachel, memories of my father laughing at their rendition of
this song. Daniel my love, happy birthday, I do know you are a grown man with a
family and your patients have no idea I call you my baby…… not until now anyway
– but you are! The song tells the tale of the Rebbe "Az der Rebbe"– when he laughs all
his students laugh, when he sleeps they sleep, when he drinks they drink, he
laughs they laugh – etc etc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21B44v-dqLM

With
love from beautiful Jerusalem, from our veranda which is blooming with bright
scarlet flowers, the trees promising a good crop of pomegranates, kumquats,
lemons and ……… oh I forgot, the orange tree, after the most phenomenal show of
blossom decided to be on strike!!!

1 comment:

Dear Sheila again this morning before I read your weekly wonderful reports Iventured to voice my thoughts that maybe all the atomic explosions are negative events provoking the disasters we are witnessing now! During that same conversation I also voiced my disgust with the gall Syria has in calling Israel the agressor.Shabbat Shalom my Friend!